Red The Hunter
by UnlockMe
Summary: Little Red gets caught in the fight between two warring kingdoms. Which side will she choose? Will she follow her heart, or will she bend to reason? Love and adventure, all with some of your favourite fairytale characters ! Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1 : A story we've heard before

**Red The Hunter**

_**A story we've heard before**_

I watched as the sun dipped behind the rolling hills of the south, a feeling of dread pooled in my stomach making me shiver in the warmth of the setting summer sun.

This was bad.

I tugged at my old red hood, wrapping it tightly around my body with one hand whilst picking up the woven basked with the other before turning back to the forest path. If I were to make it back to Grandma's before the full moon was out, I would have to leg it most of the way there.

I jogged down the road, praying that the last of the sun rays would protect me from whatever was lurking in the woods.

"If you down to the woods at night, you're in for a big surprise" my Grans old singsong voice crept into my uneasy mind, the tune came from one of those old nursery rhymes she loved to sing to me, one about bears and picnics. It was a ridiculous song if you ask me. What bear would go through pain of making a picnic if they could just stuff their mouths with weary travelers? I asked myself, before mentally slapping myself.

You're such an idiot Red, a snide voice rang out in my head as fear struck me hard. Oh crap oh crap oh _crapohcrapohcrap _… My pace picked up until I was sprinting through the darkening forest, my threadbare cloak catching on bushes and branches, tearing it, making it more of a rag than it already was, "what if?" scenarios cascaded through my mind. I was gonna get killed when I got home.

Shadows seemed to grow longer by the second, until there was no light left except that of the full moon. I slowed down somewhat to catch my breath. Think about this logically Red, you've been in the wood many a time and nothing's got you yet, a voice rationed.

An anguished howl pierced the night, causing goosebumps to pop up all over me. Ah. A werewolf. Let's rethink that shall we, the voice quavered.

I restarted my crazed marathon throughout the trees, praying that my ragged breaths and hectic footsteps crackling against the dried leaves, wouldn't be heard by the beast. Werewolves were a problem if ever they heard you, seeing as they hunted mostly by sound and smell.

**Shit.**

Another set of foot falls could be heard not far off, somewhere back along the way I came, heavy and irregular, as if it was pausing to deliberate, before resuming it's uneven chase through the bush. My heart was thundering in my chest, I stumbled down the beaten path nearly tripping over my own feet, which honestly wouldn't surprise me. It was just like me to do something clumsy like that, but thankfully Lady Fate was with me, that night.I burst through the treeline, the border where the Enchanted Forest met the Winding River, a large torrent of water that carved the Estellen Kingdom in two.

It was also a sign that I was close to my Grans house, which obviously meant safety.

I didn't hesitate. The best way to get rid of the beast was to cross this damn river, so without breaking my stride I launched myself into its cold depths. Luckily I knew how to swim, or the strong current would of probably drowned me.

As I struggled across the wide span of the water, I heard a deep growl from the bank I just left. Someone was angry, I thought. I would of laughed at the bizarreness of the situation if I wasn't fighting to keep my head above the bloody water.

I was almost there, the river's bank was just out of the reach of my searching fingertips when I felt a felt a cold slimy something wrap itself around my ankle trapping me in the current. A gurgling shriek left my mouth and my limbs thrashed wildly, trying to liberate my imprisoned foot from it's grasp.

This really wasn't my night now was it?

I felt I pair of slim hands grab on to the scruff of my hood, trying to heave my water logged body from impending doom.

Someone or something was trying to save me.

How sweet, the sarcastic voice inside my head snickered, but this attempt to save my life gave me some kind of boost because I resumed my frantic kicking, freeing my ankle. The pair of dainty hands pulled pathetically at my cloak, dragging me towards the bank where I flopped ungracefully onto the feathery grass, not bothering to look up at the face of the owner of those smooth hands who was sitting next to me gasping from the effort.

I led there for awhile heaving water out my lungs, tears running down my face, numb from cold and dripping wet.

"Are you okay?" I was startled to hear such a high voice. I glanced up though strands of wet hair to see who my savior was.

I was so not expecting this.

**A/N: Hey guys, so this is my first chapter, I'm not totally sure if it's good or not.**

**Reviews are welcome, I'm always looking to improve, English is not my first language so please forgive me if you find a huge error somewhere ^^.**

**This fic is rated M for a reason, some smutty things may happen … or not, depends if I continue this story :)**


	2. Chapter 2 : Mystery Girl

_**Mystery Girl**_

A beautiful lady was gazing down at my disheveled form with eyes as blue as the summer sky, and just as endlessly deep. A look of concern graced her noble pale face which shone in the moonlight, framed by the straightest, almost white blond hair that reached down to her elbows, it looked so fine I wanted to touch it.

Then it hit me that she had just asked me something. And I, who had gotten so engulfed with envious thoughts, had completely forgotten what that something was.

"Umm..." Was the only answer I could come up with. Great, whoever this person may be, must now think I'm dumb.

What should I do? I panicked, underneath a mask of what I hoped looked like utter calm. I, believe it or not, am not good with handling strangers after a life threatening episode.

She smiled awkwardly at me then, glanced quickly away, blushing.

On second thoughts, I thought, maybe this person wasn't a woman, well not quite yet anyway, she still had parts of her reminiscing of a childhood not long departed. A slight roundness of the face and the shyness of a child still remained.

Cute. Kind of.

She stiffened suddenly, a look of horror adorned her charming features, and a little cry escaped her pale pink lips.

At first I thought that she was scared of me, but then I told myself that I was a moron. Why would she be frightened of a fifteen year old like me? Then it dawned on me.

I turned and caught sight of the half-man, half-wolf creature on the other side of the Winding River. It was pacing frustratedly, up and down the bank, growling angrily, it's yellow eyes never leaving me.

A hysterical giggle bubbled up inside me, but I tried hard to hold it back, not wanting to alarm the girl, who probably thought I was completly wacko.

The girl looked terrified, and flinched as the wolf let out another one of those earsplitting howls. It looked so desperate to cross the water, but didn't dare, because we were now in my Gran's territory. It looked ridiculous, like a dog withheld from its meal.

I couldn't hold back my joy any longer, bursting into uncontrolled laughter, I even stuck my tongue out at the enraged beast, which seeing that killing his prey was impossible, slowly turned and loped back into the trees.

I was safe! A triumphant voice cried.

"Maybe next time bastard!" I yelled after it, jumping to my feet and doing a little happy dance before turning to my lovely savior, holding out a filthy hand.

She took it tentatively, looking unsure. I was stunned at how light she was, and pulled her to her feet with surprising ease.

She made to withdraw her slender fingers, but before she could let go, I pulled her into a tight bear hug. Whoever this person was I was so happy to have met her. Then I remembered I was soaking and took a couple of steps back, a grin plastered on my stupid face.

"Thank you so much, um, I'm sorry I don't know your name - "

"It's Belle" she interrupted, returning my smile, only she succeeded in looking breathtaking and completly adorable at the same time, whereas I probably just looked goofy.

"Well then Belle, since you're my hero for saving my miserable life, let me repay you, anything is fine." I spluttered, my voice raw from almost drowning, not wanting to seem ungrateful to such a lady, even though a voice in my head was telling me that meeting a pretty lady in the middle of the night in a magic forest was probably a bad thing, I completely ignored it.

Who needs logic anyway?

"You don't have to pay me for saving your life, but umm … you see ..." She trailed off, averting her blue eyes, and turning a darker shade of pink.

It's only at that moment that I actually took in all of the beauty that stood before me. She was well proportioned, if not slightly thin, and she was definitely a hands span taller than me (which is an easy thing to be, seeing as I had barley grown an inch since I was thirteen); But the thing that shook me the most was the fact that her richly embroidered clothes were torn and dirty, and she was wearing no shoes, letting her dainty toes get covered in a thick layer of grime.

"Do you need a place to stay?" I inquired, not wanting her to be out in the woods any longer, something was definitely going on with girl, something serious, but she looked so fragile.

She nodded, her eyed glittering with tears, and for whatever reason she stared to sob uncontrollably, her body trembling like a leaf.

Well, this was awkward.

I stared at her, dumbstruck. Why was she crying? Was it something I said?

With slight hesitation I slipped my arms around her slim waist, and started tracing comforting circles on the poor girls back. She froze at the contact, I looked up at her, a look of bewilderment registering on her face.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." I soothed, taking her hand and marching in the general direction of my Grandmas house, vowing to protect the helpless girl.

Wait, did I just call her helpless? Wasn't it Belle who just saved **_my_ **life? Urgh, why were things so compicated...

"Thank you." She whispered, her grip tightening on my hand. I squeezed back, trying to send my comfort through our linked hands. This girl had gone through a lot.

We came to the last of the trees, as they slowly thinned to reveal a castle in the dim moonlight. A light was shining from one of the lower windows. Gran had been waiting up for me. I was going to get a good scolding. Damn.

"Welcome to Caumont Castle." I said.

**A/N : So, second chapter's up, hope you like it.**

**Just so you know I like to build up to things, nice and slow, so if you're expecting a quick story, this isn't what you're looking for.**

**Okay, I hope you know who Belle is. She is the "princess" from Beauty and the Beast, and will play an important role in this fiction.**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	3. Chapter 3 : White Witch

_Chapter 3_

_The White Witch_

"What have I said about being in the woods at night!" My grandmother screamed to no one in particular, furniture flying everywhere, smashing into the old stone walls.

I was going to have to tidy that up later.

She was is full rampage mode now, her anger reflected by the flying objects and the howling winds that filled the comfy living room, it felt like the place was going to implode it was so bloody hot in here.

I caught a candle that almost singed my eyebrows off and placed it on the mantlepiece where it could do no more harm. I wondered what Belle was doing in the kitchen

"But Gran, I was -"

"I don't want to hear it!" She bellowed sending an armchair crashing towards me, which I diverted with a flick of my hand. She didn't mean anything by it, she just wasn't used to people disobeying her.

Let me explain.

My grandmother is in fact a very powerful sorceress that ruled this area for awhile, that is until she handed over her small kingdom to that of the Estrayen's.

Don't get me wrong, my grandmother was a wise and powerful Queen, if severe at times, deserving of her subjects fealty. But she would not let her people suffer the pain and loss of being conquered by force by such a merciless kingdom as Ryulan, situated to the south and east of here separated by a range of mountains.

So instead she stepped down from her throne as Queen Hazel Lumence, the last of the Witch Queens Of The North, the oldest line their ever was, who possessed the strongest magic of the five kingdoms.

Gone. Forever (except for me that is).

But she did not just leave her territory to be sacked by those dark minded bastards, and left them in the safe and well protected hands of her royal cousin, Emperor of the Realm of the Sky, His Royal Highness Frederick Estrayan, a man of considerate power, (and of great girth, but my gran hates it when I say it).

Which explains the whole disobedience thing.

Still didn't mean I had to be treated like this, I mean I did survive, barley. In fact now that I think about it, the chances that a person just happened to pass by the Winding River in the middle of the night in a beast-filled forest was probably at a billion to one.

Must be fate, my inner voice joked.

Ummm sure that must be it, I replied, finishing my internal monologue abruptly. Things seemed to be getting worse with Gran because she sensed that I wasn't listening to her ravings on "listening to your elders" and the "in my day" speech (that we've all heard before).

The storm in my living room was almost at breaking point, and I was seriously expecting the worse, when (thank the gods), Belle opened the door with a tray in her hands.

Oblivious to the tempest, Belle headed in my general direction concentrating on not spilling anything, until a clap of thunder shook the place.

She yelped and dropped the tray and all its contents, her mouth forming a perfect "O", effectively stopping my gran from smashing me to pieces with the oak coffee table that she loved.

Ha ha. Killer coffee table, was my only lame remark, before my attention was turned to the poor shocked girl.

All magic powered objects ceased to fly. Their path to destruction pulled to a sudden stop, and every thing fell heavily to the ground with a loud _boom_, as my dearest grandmother also caught on to Belle's presence in the room.

"Y- ou are a … a" She stuttered, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"A witch honey, don't beat around the bush." My gran replied gently, trying really hard not to traumatize Belle, more than she already was.

I reached out for her, and seeing that she wasn't pulling away, threw my arm around her shoulder, as if protecting her from Hazels slightly aggressive pose.

"Why don't we move this party to the kitchen, hm? We've all got some explaining to do." I suggested, not wanting Belle to take in the full devastation of the poor living room.

She nodded weakly and I hustled her from the wreck and down the hallway towards the relative safety of the kitchen, the elder witch followed a couple of paces behind.

The warmth of the kitchen reminded how bloody cold I was, the hooded cloak clung to my small frame. I was so tired so I just plopped myself down in front of the roaring fire the room boasted, throwing my destroyed cloak and casting a lazy but comforting smile at Belle, who sat nervously on the edge of a stool, hands clasped in her lap.

Hazel placed herself on the other side of the hearth, arms crossed, steely glares digging into the side of my head. I bet she wanted to continue our earlier conversation, but she would have to wait, I thought forcing down a cheeky smile.

A wary silence filled the room, each person waiting for the other to start with the talking, but no one daring to speak up.

I gathered up what was left of my shredded courage, clearing my throat, which was hurting like hell, I was so coming down with a cold.

"So, well … My name is Scarlet Ashwood, I am fifteen years old, daughter of Anastasia Hawthorn. That scary old lady of there is the Ancient Queen of the North and royal adviser of the current Queen Her Majesty Lilith Estrayen. Which makes me a witch too."

"In training" The grumpy woman growled at me, even though her scowl had lightened to just a small frown. She had calmed down considerably since the living room incident, regaining her poise and causing Belle to relax slightly.

"A witch? But I though witches were evil and were sentenced to death? And if Hazel's was a queen aren't you a princess? Where are you're parents?" She asked, curiosity mixing in with her anxiety, that was also present before.

I smiled at her. My savior was definitely not from this country, for witchcraft was not persecuted here (unless you used dark magic), and most people from Estrayan new the Last Witch Story, it was kind of like a legend.

"I would be something like that, if my grandmother was still queen, yes. And my parents are deceased." I told her quietly, not wanting to make her feel bad for bringing it up.

Even though just mentioning them made me wince, it was a wound that just wouldn't heal, and that would reopen at the slightest reminder of their deaths.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't-" She started, pity flashed across her face. I hated that look, the kind that made them feel sorry for you. I hated to appear weak in front of people.

"What about you?" I questioned, not letting her finish her sentence.

She blushed and looked away, her hands twisting in her lap.

"Well, you see..." She started timidly.

**A/N : Sorry for the long wait, I had exams and friends to deal with. **

**Who wants to know where Belle came from, who she is?**

**You've also met the White Witch, Red's grandmother. **

**I made a change to the Kingdoms name to Estrayan.**

**Comments are welcome ;)**


	4. Chapter 4 : Belle Beauty Of The East

_Chapter 4_

_Belle Beauty Of The East_

I could practically feel the impatience emanating from the older woman, her eyebrows furrowed creating a couple more crease lines on her forehead, foot tapping impatiently, eyes focused on the young girl who was struggling to find words. Sparks seemed to dance around my Gran's elegant form, her soft gray hair frizzing slightly from the power surging beneath her pale skin.

I felt like face-palming. How did you expect Belle to start her story when an aggravated witch was breathing down her neck.

"Just start from the beginning. Like your full name, where you live..." I prompted, giving her my best sunny smile.

A shy smile graced her lips, breathing deeply, she commenced her narration.

"My name is Belle Dubois, I am sixteen years old, and I come from the Eastern kingdom of L'Aube-temps –"

"DUBOIS! You mean **the** royal family Dubois, the Rulers of the Rising Sun?" My grandmother exclaimed, her pale blue eyes opened wide, a grin anointing her wrinkled face.

"Y...es." Was the soft reply.

Belle flinched as Hazel launched herself at the unsuspecting girl, who was immediately embraced by the witch.

Belle was frozen in shock. But then again, I would be in the same condition if my Gran had done the same to me.

In fact, at this very moment, I didn't understand anything anymore. I just sat and gaped like a fish as Hazel slowly let go of the bewildered girl.

"Umm. Gran... Mind telling me what the HELL is going on!" I looked from one female to the other in search of answers, but I could tell from the hilarious look on Belle's face (a mix between shock, terror and bewilderment) that she hadn't a clue.

I faced my Gran, wondering if she would consider explaining everything to me.

The old lady pulled up a chair besides Belle and leaned forward as if she was going to tell me a secret, her old weary bones creaking slightly.

"Her Lady Mother and I used to be the greatest of friends, like two peas in a pod." She told us, a freaky cackle escaping her lips.

"I saved her and her brothers life when her parents were assassinated by the Southerners, and after that we never left each others side, that is until duty called me to rule my kingdom, and she had to get _married _to your esteemed father_._ You must be the renowned Beauty Of The East." Her faced wrinkled in disgust as she said the word married like it was some kind of disease that she could catch from pronouncing it.

I don't know what was more surprising, the fact that my Gran had saved Belle's mother's life, or that Belle was also a princess. In both cases it felt like slap in the face, and I no longer felt so tired.

"So you're, what, a princess?" I asked, looking at her in a brand new light. Her dark brown hair seemed glossier, her face took on a more regal look, her eyes showed such intelligence, her poise perfect.

"Yeah" She sighed a sigh that spoke of sadness beyond her years.

"And this would explain why you were wondering around in the Enchanted Woods all by yourself?" I pushed, I just wanted her to spill the beans already.

"Well about that, I haven't got the faintest idea of how I got here, one minute I was just in the Great Hall, attending my wedding announcement banquet, I remember meeting my husband for the first time; as he seated himself on my right, –_ poof_ –. I was in a forest. I panicked at first, and started running, looking for a way out. That's until I realized that I had made things worse by disorientating myself, and then the howling started and I ran away from the sound and came across the river. Which is where I found you." She finished her jabbering abruptly, turning crimson.

Obviously stringing a sentence more than ten words was not her _forté._

"So you just appeared in the woods, like that?" The older witch said, non-pulsed.

"Smells like sorcery, and not the good kind either." I hummed, thinking to myself why sending a princess away during her engagement party could be, in any way, useful to maleficent parties.

"Who are you marrying Your Highness? What are his origins?" I questioned, hoping to find clues to this riddle. I love me a good mystery.

"Pierre Dovenport; Prince of the merchant Kingdom Novisdon. It was for financial reasons of course, but seeing as our court is in current unrest, my parents thought a marriage would also settle them. He was a good match I suppose." She offered, glancing at me warily, for my complexion was getting deeper and deeper.

If there is one thing I hated about royalty, it was the whole etiquette and arranged marriage hoax that they practiced. Especially when one marries for money.

She just ticked both boxes; my conscience growled.

"What's causing the courts turmoil?" I continued my interrogation, only to be cut by the elder. "What has your father done this time?" She snarled, her face showing her extreme distaste for the monarch.

She must have some history with him then, I noted, putting it away for further use, suppressing a smirk, but my anger overcame my amusement, forcing a scowl upon my face.

Belle blanched at the question, turning away from my grandmother.

"War. With the Shadowland." She spoke, her voice barley above a whisper.

Silence reigned in the fire lit room as we drank the horrific news.

The Shadowland was a territory far to the South, ruled over by the Demon King, a shape shifter and user of the dark arts, a deadly foe.

"It's why we needed the money and naval prowess of such a far off kingdom." She continued, not noticing how close I was to exploding with anger.

"So let me get this straight," I growled, feeling my own powers crackle around me, like tiny fireworks going off."Your father, the _almighty_ King Of The East, is selling you to some lousy merchant prince, in return for boats and money, to go to_ war _with a mass murderer_._" I finished, bunching my fists hard, digging my nails into my skin.

What a git! War with a merciless bastards like them was bloody suicide. He was going to bring a fifth Demon War!

"What your mouth young lady!" Hazel chided, her eyes darkening making her look as intimidating as an old lady could. Which is scary as hell.

That's when I got the shock of my life.

Belle glared at me.

She actually glared daggers at me, like I had offended her. Which I kinda did, but I didn't back down, wondering where this sudden demonstration of boldness would lead.

She stood up violently, her stool toppling over with a _thud._

"What do you, _Miss Little Red Riding Hood,_ know about my father? Have you ever met him? What do you know about politics, or even about ruling a country!? I choose to do this for the good of my people, not for myself!" She shilled, body flushed and panting from the sudden outburst.

She hit me once on the shoulder, a weak imitation of a punch, before bursting into tears, her whole body quivering with the amount of emotion she had been suppressing.

I instantly felt guilty for pushing her, and knelt in front of her, bowing my head in shame.

Nobody should see a noble lady cry. Ever, it was heartbreaking.

"I'm sorry Bel – I mean your Highness. I just – "

**BOOM**

SHIT.

**A/N : Well, that's another one done, and finally there might be some action in the following chapters!**

**Yay!**

**I'm sorry about the slowness of the releases.**

**If you like this story, pleeeease REVIEW! Or even if you're not really into it, I need constructive criticism, so I can improve, and of course it will motivate me to write quicker. **

**Anyway, thanks for reading :)**


	5. Chapter 5 : The Rising Sun

_Chapter 5_

_The Rising Sun_

Belle's POV :

What – ?!

My head rang with the sound of piercing shrieks and growls emanating from whatever had come crashing through the doorway when the kitchen had exploded.

Heart pounding, I cracked open my eyelids, seeing only pitch black until my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness.

I was staring at the what was left of the ceiling, half the room had been blown away, leaving a gaping hole in the wall.

I was wondering why I was still alive when another one of those inhumane shrieks followed by a loud boom rang through my befuddled head.

Trying to move away from the frightening noises I pulled myself up only to discover something heavy was lying across my chest. It was hard and heavy and was crushing my ribcage.

Pain shot through me and I groaned. I had probably broken something.

Great.

A burst of blue light blinded me momentarily followed by a crash that was a lot like wood splitting.

The surge of fear induced adrenaline boost gave me just enough strength to heave the piece of wood as far as my delicate arms would allow.

The unnatural darkness that had settled, seemed to drain my energy, leaving it devoid of warmth and all things good, which, accompanied by the demonic growling made me panic.

I felt a scream force its way up my throat, and the need to hide consumed me as I groped on my hands and knees for a way out of the ruined kitchen because I was pretty sure my legs weren't that stable at that moment.

Anywhere was fine, as long as I was no longer close to the destruction.

"Scarlet ?" I called hopefully.

What if she was dead?

I can't just leave without them, my inner me reasoned, but still I didn't want to stay here a second more.

Another whimper escaped my lips as I finally got to my feet and hopped outside, away from the mess.

The snarls and shouts got further and further away, and I couldn't help but sigh in relief. Whatever that beast was, it was powerful, and the way it had destroyed the kitchen in just a blink of an eye scared me, but it was gone. Well, at least for the moment at least.

I looked about, searching for a sign of life, praying that they would be okay, but was greeted only by the emptiness of the forest and the cold stone castle.

I stumbled about for a bit sticking close to the old castles wall, not willing to stray too far into the forest, seeing as I only had bad memories of that place, heart thundering in my chest, every noise becoming a potential threat.

At some point I had started to run. To what, I don't no but I just couldn't bear being in this place anymore. Just minutes ago I had been welcomed warmly by people I had just met, people I had hoped to make friends of, people who had actually _listened to me._

Like I actually mattered to them, and wasn't just a _little girl. _Nobody did that back at the palace. Now that place was just an empty ruined castle.

A tear leaked down my cheek, despair settling in the pit of my stomach.

I had the sudden urge to just sit down and cry, to wallow in all the horrible things that had happened to me since that awful night at the stupid engagement party. I was probably going to die out here I thought miserably.

That's when my eyes caught onto something.

It was glowing. But only faintly.

Even in this creepy magic-made darkness there was light. To me it looked like a beacon of hope in this wretched place, and I automatically went towards it, like a moth to a flame.

As I neared though, I could make out a small human form in the center of the pool of dull light.

It was Scarlet.

She was lying in the grass, her pretty red locks stood out fiercely against her deathly pale skin, her soft features slack with sleep, bathed in the glow.

Must be magic I wondered.

I was astounded that she could sleep in such a situation, she looked so peaceful, I couldn't even see her breathe she was that still...

No, she couldn't be-

I rushed to her side but refrained from touching her. What was the light for ? What did it mean ? I didn't know if the glow was good or not, but I couldn't just wait there doing nothing. So I slowly place my hands on her neck, it felt kind of weird when the light touched my hand a slight tingling feeling settled in them, but I seriously didn't care, I was too busy searching for a pulse, or a sign of life.

"Mmph... mmm Belle ?" I swear my heart stopped. I was so scared that she had died, that I was alone again, that when I heard her raspy voice I felt so happy.

"Yeah Scarlet, I'm here." I stammered, clasping one of her hands.

I looked into those clear gray eyes, that seemed so pure and so strong and sighed with relief, a few tears of joy leaked down my cheeks.

She climbed to her feet unsteadily, eyes roaming around the place where I'd found her, a patch of grass, a couple of yards from the front door, which was weird seeing as we were nowhere near the kitchen.

She gave me a once over, checking me for anomalies. She then proceeded to grabbed my hand murmuring something under her breath.

"_Gwuéri san_" I heard before jerking away when I saw a green light trickle through her fingers and onto my own hand. The pins and needles sensation hit me throughout my body, and I watched in awe as my aches and cuts dissipated before my eyes.

Letting go of my hand the young witch started pacing back and forth her brow furrowed in thought.

"We need to get out of here, now. Have you seen Gran?" She demanded, stopping to focus on me. Her gaze was steady, which reassured me, and my pulse slowed somewhat from crazed rabbit to above normal, happy that someone else was in control of this disastrous situation.

"No, but I heard growling and loud noises coming from the other side of the house. It sounded like something big was happening." I reported, wondering what our next move was going to be.

She cocked her head, like an animal would, as if she was listening hard for something just out of her hearing range, and the younger looked so funny in that moment that I fought a smile, but this really wasn't the right situation so I fought it off.

A human scream pierced the cold twilight, followed by a burst of white light that came from the other side of the house, it was so bright it lit the whole castle up like the stars had exploded.

The howl that came after though was a hundred time worse. It made the insides of your head feel like they were being ripped apart, making my knees buckle and I fell with my hands clasped around my ears, begging it to stop.

I glanced at Scarlet, who was miraculously still standing, shaking her head like she was trying to rid herself of the din, lips moving so quickly, but I couldn't hear a thing through the deafening sound.

Both light and noise stopped just as quickly as they came, replaced by a deathly silence that was almost as bad as the ruckus, it was so eery.

"NO ! GRAN !" The witch yelled, running towards the other side of the house.

Red's POV :

No time to waste.

Hazel was in mortal danger, the whole light show and the insane howling meant Hazel wasn't doing so good.

No bloody way I was letting my only living family die. Not again.

I ran passed the huge hole that led to the destroyed kitchen, following the trail of carnage leading away from the old castle and towards the forest, leaving Belle somewhere behind me.

Hazel had obviously put up quite a fight, broken trees and blackened vegetation dotted the once serene landscape, traces of powerful magic were still left from where spells had missed their target, magic laced the air like a unique perfume that only those of supernatural blood could smell.

"GRAN ! WHERE ARE YOU ?" I bellowed, hoping against hope to hear an answer, something, anything, as long as she was safe.

"Scarlet ..." A weak voice called out.

"Gran !" I called again, running towards the source of the sound, hope filled my heart, making me feel like I was running on air.

At first I didn't see her, the first of the suns rays cast deformed shadows over the clearing I had discovered. At the center was the monstrous body of an enormous dire wolf, which had obviously been my grandmothers opponent, and was now just a gory mess of fur and entrails.

That's when I saw her lying in a pool of her own blood from a nasty rip in her abdomen, half propped up by a tree.

Her aura was nearly nonexistent, breaths shallow and hitched, and her face was paler than snow and twisted in pain, making my heart stop, the hope that had seized me was replaced with despair.

"Come here my girl." She breathed, her voice so quiet and fragile. Tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrollably as I dropped to my knees beside her, trying to staunch her wounded stomach with my hands, hoping to heal it with magic.

"Stop Red, it's no use..." Her frail hands clasped my wrists in an iron grip, forcing me to stop.

I looked at her confused, but she just gave me a small smile like she had resigned herself to her fate, it was a reminiscence of those warm smiles she would always give me when I little, the kind that made me feel all warm and safe.

"No Gran, don't leave -" But the look in her eyes silenced me. It was filled with love and sadness, but also with the kind of willful determination that I had inherited from her.

I had no say I this.

She tugged on my hands, bringing me closer to her so she could whisper in my ear.

"Shadows follow … those with little -" She wheezed, her uneven breathing slowing, until it stopped all together, her hold on my hands loosened, her eyes closed and her aura dissapeared.

My world collapsed at that moment.

It was sent spinning out of control and I could feel the sadness grip me, suffocating me, making me gasp for air.

I was truly alone.

The White Witch, Defender of Estrayan, The Last Queen of the North was dead.

My grandmother was gone just like the fading moon.

**A/N : I'm so sorry for the super long wait :$****I had to take care of my sister who has a severe kidney problem so I couldn't really find the time to write, and when I did, I just didn't have the inspiration.  
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**So, I hope you all like this chapter. I know it kinda sucks, because I'm no good at writing these kind of scenes, but hey, the next chapter is kinda well ... A LOT BETTER ! ^^**

**I would love to hear what you would like to happen next, now that Red is stuck with a soppy Princess, and that she has lost her grandmother.**

**Who do you think attacked her ? And why was she encased in light ?**

**Please review ! It's the only way I can get better at writing ! Thanks for reading :)  
**


	6. Chapter 6 : A New Beginnig

_Chapter 6_

_A New Beginning_

-Three years later -

"Red!" Someone called out from behind. I turned to see a distraught Belle, her beautiful brown curls bouncing on her slender shoulders as she careened towards me, nearly tripping on the hem of her favorite yellow dress in the process.

"BELLE!" I exclaimed, happy to see a friendly face after so long. I had been searching for her all over this damn castle all bloody morning, eventually giving up, knowing that sooner or later the news that I was back from my service from the SP would spread like wildfire.

Everywhere I went in the enormous palace, a snide noble or a gossiping maid hid, always going on about some scandal or another, it was amusing to see their faces change color when they saw me, the infamous Red.

I smiled at my vanity. I didn't like hearing gossip unless I had been the source of it. The fact that the very people who I protected, these oblivious nobles, called me "Red The Hunter" behind my back, made me irritated.

I paused in my lazy walk on the stone walkway that led to the gardens, and waited for the Crown Princess to catch up.

I narrowly avoided a head on collision with the older, who didn't think it necessary to stop running, stepping to the side just before impact, only to be tugged along, as she grabbed my wrist, cold hands sending shivers down my spine at the contact with my hot skin.

"Hurry! **She's **after me!" She explained, pulling me harder in the direction and relative safety of the gardens.

Oh crap, I sighed wearily.

I turned my head, trying to take a peek at our fearsome pursuer, even though I already knew who it was.

"YOUR HIGNESS!" A deep raspy voice bellowed, an imposing figure appearing at the other end of the walkway, gray skirts billowing as she rushed toward us.

Lady Carlita was a really scary woman. She was a big red faced woman of around fourty years of age, with thick black her tied in a fancy knot on the nape of her nearly nonexistent neck, she looked like an angry overfed rat.

But believe it or not, she was also Belle's aunt (on her fathers side) and nanny. I hated her so much, but I had the feeling it was mutual. I had this kind of problem with most of King Caerlos' family; unfortunately having half of the nobility despising you because of your birthright wasn't a great thing. If it had been anyone else I wouldn't have given a damn, but Caerlos Dubois was an idiot of immense proportions that nobody could ignore, even if they were blind and deaf.

Sometimes I wondered how he could have raised Belle to be such a tolerant person, but then again her mother was such a gentle soul, that she compensated for her husbands moronic behavior.

I couldn't help but grin, happy to cause the wretched Lady some trouble before speeding up, reversing the situation, so it was I who was in the lead and Belle who was behind me, dragging her down some steps and into the sun-filled garden, a giggle escaping my lips, all heavy thoughts forgotten for the time being.

I loved running. It was something I couldn't live without, and something that I truly excelled at. I could outrun nearly anyone, even Gregory Marshall the Captain of the White Guards of the Southern Patrol, my best friend and comrade in arms.

We ran as far and as fast as we could from the outraged woman, skirting the flowerbeds and disappearing into the trees that lined the Windrun Lake, like waifs.

We were both laughing by the time we stopped, exhausted and hot we flopped onto a mass of rocks near the cool calmness of the deep water.

There was something about this place that emitted harmony, I could feel it in me, the unseen presence of the peaceful nature spirits fluttering on the edge of my never tiring conscience, calling to me for help, leaving guilt in its wake.

I was meant to be helping the pacific spirits, as a witch it was my duty to aide and defend them when they were troubled. But of course I couldn't, at least not freely. My every move was monitored by a member of the Kingsguard, because I was supposedly a threat to the Crown. Witches were persecuted and sentenced to death in the Land of the Rising Sun, so I couldn't practice my magic around anyone, especially near the Palace.

I let my eyes wonder over the natural beauty before me, trying to pinpoint the pleading voices in my mind, taking in the beautiful blue lake, it's waters semi-transparent and glistening in the spring time sun.

I noticed that Belle was panting hard from our short run, and ruffled her hair teasingly.

"Stop breathing so hard, you'll scare them away." I whispered holding a finger to my lips. She nodded, shifting position, facing the sparkling water.

I continued my inspection of the surrounding area. Nothing wrong here, I remarked internally, before moving onto the surrounding vegetation. I checked the weeping willows closest to the lake, and worked my way through the rest of the trees, not noticing anything out of place.

So why were the spirits so uneasy, I thought, a small frown placing itself on my lips. It didn't make sense.

"Scarlet?" I startled at the sound of my true name.

I smirked at my own stupidity. No one really called me Scarlet anymore. I had become so used to Red, my "official" name here, that using my true name had confused me for a moment.

I glanced over at Belle who sat cross-legged next to me, a troubled look on her pretty face.

The princess was the image of noble female perfection, especially when she smiled. Her face was round and soft, framed by neatly curled dark brown locks, which contrasted nicely with her big innocent blue eyes that she inherited from her royal mother. Her neck was long and elegant, and she had grown to be at least a head and a half taller than me, much to my own dismay. I had hardly grown five centimeters in three years.

"Nothing much... and since when did you start calling me that? What if someone heard you?" I half scolded the older girl, but smiled at her all the same because I didn't want to spoil our reunion like this, not after so long.

"Since I decided "Red" didn't suit you. I mean come on Lettie, there's nothing red about you, you're so pale and I swear your hair is losing its gingerness. What have they been doing to you in the Patrol? Tell me everything" She teased, poking me in the arm with a dainty finger, but I could tell by the way she was barely containing her happiness, that she was dying to no what had gone on anywhere outside the castle.

"First: I am not ginger, I am auburn." I joked, giving her a playful shove in return.

"Second: you know why I can't use my real name. Your father would have me hanged the second he knew I was really a witch. And third: it's tough at the Patrol, but I can handle it, after all, I am the only girl to _ever _pass the physical test." I said, a hint of pride slipping in at the end.

It wasn't easy getting into the Southern Patrol, but it sure was worth it.

After my arrival here in Aube-Temps, I quickly discovered that my presence was unwanted. Caerlos had tried to get rid of me by bribe, and I would of taken it if I Belle hadn't asked me to stay.

At that time, she was the only person I had left after the death of my grandmother, that I accepted her offer. But not even her protection would have helped, considering her father was the King and she the princess (duh), he would have clearly overruled her.

No, the second person who vouched for me gave me the importance I needed to stay: Queen Katrina.

She had treated me like a daughter ever since I met her, and I could understand why Gran had been so connected with her, she was so strong and fair, she even helped me reinvent myself, so as not to be caught by the Eastern Kingdoms authorities. Katrina even approved of me being the first female to enter the SP, although her husband denied me, she had spoken my cause in front of court, thus allowing me to pass.

And Belle had so much of her mother in her, at times it was hard to tell them apart.

"No Scarlet, you know what I meant. You are worried about something. And seeing that you came back just this morning, I expect you to tell me everything. Including the stuff that's been gnawing at you whilst you're out scouting the Shadow Lands." She replied, her innocent gaze begging me to help her relieve the curiosity that burned inside. She knew that she looked adorable like that, and it worked like a charm on most people.

"Okay fine." I groaned, giving in ungracefully, sprawling myself on one of the rocks. Knowing Belle, she wanted to know every single bloody detail of the last 9 months. This was going to take awhile.

She got comfy, lying on her stomach, propped up by her elbows, her face eagerly awaiting the news I was about to divulge.

"So," I began breathing deeply, looking all serious, "As you know I left soon after my acceptance into the Southern Patrol with the other recruits. We headed to the main camp, have you heard of Falloyin?" She nodded and the look she gave me urged me to continue.

"Well, I was introduced to my unit on the evening we arrived there. And since then I've been living and protecting ever since." I summarized, knowing very well that this was nowhere near enough to appease the elder of her burning desire for knowledge.

I couldn't hold back my laughter as she slowly registered the fact that I wasn't going to tell her anything else, her face going from eager curiosity to dignified outrage.

"Scarlet, you can not just start a story and just finish it so … so abruptly!" She screeched, pouncing on my outstretched form, her hands finding my ribs, as she tickled me senseless.

I retaliated by pining her with my superior strength and started to tickle her feet until, until she finally pushed me off her, sending us both tumbling into the lake.

We played there for a while, forgetting our past discussion and just enjoying the sun and the soothing effect of the water. It had been so long since the last time I had really just played like this, not caring about the consequences it could have, just enjoying myself.

It wasn't that I didn't have free time in the Patrol, it was just whenever I had it, I would sleep, or go over some plans or just train, seeing as there weren't many females near the borders, except for the prostitutes.

I mean, it wasn't like I didn't like them, because I was even friends with some of them, but they're access to the camp was limited, and seeing as I was the only girl to pass the entrance test, I was kinda lonely.

Not that my "brothers" from the White Guards excluded me, I mean, if anything, most of them were happy to have a female presence, even though it was strictly forbidden for the guys to cross _that_ line, we still had fun when we were off duty, and they respected me.

Some time later we dragged ourselves out of the water, smiling, but spent from our activities, feeling the sunshine warm our backs.

I felt me eyes close, the urge to sleep forcing my eyes closed, when the princess called me out of my stupor.

"Tell me what happened. Pleeease." She begged again, and this time I gave in completely, with a moan.

Drawing myself up again, I sat form a good moment drinking in the light and warmth around me before speaking.

"What do you want to know?"

"Tell which of the three units you were put in, what your "brothers" are like, your duties, your adventures … I want to know everything." She answered, as she sat behind me and began to plait my long auburn hair.

"I was put in the White Guards, my Commander is Gregory Marshall, I have nine "brothers" all together. Our jobs differ, but most of the time we are either scouting or locating possible threats that could be used against the Upper Kingdoms. We train a lot between outings and from time to time eradicate dangerous creatures that have slipped pas the border." Her nimble finger finished their work, so she curled herself up next to me, nodding for me to continue.

"The last place we scouted was somewhere into the over the line, a nest of demons that had been causing problems for villages close by. We located and got rid of them." I said monotonously, not sure how she would react to that. Eradicating demons was a nasty business, they could use their magic to morph into humans, thus appearing like a victim, or they would just attack us. But I had never considered them as people, I did I don't think I could bring myself to do kill them.

I wasn't a murderer.

It's just ever since my Gran died, I felt angry all the time, and when I found out that the Dire Wolf was a symbol of the Demon Lord, and that only he could control such wild beasts, I had made my decision to enter the Southern Patrol.

She assessed what I said with a passive face, not giving anything away, but I could feel her hesitate before asking me a question I had been waiting for since the beginning.

"Why do they call you Red The Hunter?"

"Whatever they told you it's not true. I am not a ruthless killer, Belle. You know too well to believe that kind of crap." I had heard the rumors about me, most of them were about how I slaughtered demons like a cold hearted murderer, and how I dabbled in the dark arts and the like.

"Then why?" She questioned.

**A/N : Hello !**

**Here's another chapter, although I haven't re-read it yet :/ I hope you like it :D  
**

**Thanks to my first reviewer on this story, you gave me the will to continue this story, and thank you to those that subscribed. You made my day ^^**

**One last thing before the end : I'm in need of a beta.**

**PM me if you're interested. I won't bite, well, maybe only a little ;)  
**

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